Training the Next Generation of RISA

Connecting Environmental Science and Decision Making (CESD) – a Graduate Certificate Program

Connie Woodhouse CLIMAS School of Geography and Development University of Arizona

What is a Graduate Certificate Program at the UA? A “linked series of credit-bearing graduate courses that constitute a coherent body of study. Graduate certificates are designed to enhance the education of matriculated graduate and professional students or to provide continuing education to local professionals.” Some of the general guidelines: • Enhances existing programs, not take the place of them. • A specialized set of courses, minimum of 9 credits. • Time to complete: within 4 years. • Sufficient resources must exist to support the certificate without penalizing existing academic programs.

CESD program development: a collaborative process

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Contributions from UA Colleges of Science, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Law, Public Health; Departments/Schools of Ag and Education, Anthropology, Geography, Journalism, Communication, Soil, Water & Environment, Public Administration, American Indian Studies, Planning, Natural Resource & Environment, Statistics, Watershed Management ….and more….

CESD Certificate Program

Overall goal: help students develop into professionals who are comfortable working with both scientific and decision-making communities in a variety of capacities. Through course work and an internship, CESD students: • Develop a foundation in the theoretical basis of the interface between science and

decision making. • Critically examine, evaluate, and practice methods of engagement between

scientists and decision makers • Acquire expertise in methods and skills needed for research that incorporates

science-decision making interactions.

CESD CURRICULUM

Core 2 Methods in social science:

Core 3 Communications:

4th course electives: …

Core 1 Overview course:

12 credits with a 3-credit internship

CESD Internship

Goal: to create an opportunity for the student to interact with a

decision maker in order to gain experience and insight on the challenges of working at the interface between science and decision making.

Criteria: • Requires close interaction with a decision maker or decision making organization • Entails interactive, iterative engagement • Results in an end product/contribution as the result of a collaborative effort

Internships to date: • City of Tucson Office of Sustainability • City of Tucson Office of the Mayor • Weyerhaeuser • Salt River Project

Graduate seminar: Making the Connection between Science and Decision Making

3 Components: • foundational concepts related to the use of

science in decision making • interactions between scientists and decision

makers, and models for these interactions

• written and orals skills for translational science

Goal: to provide students with some understanding of the dynamics

behind the interface between science and decision making that result in scientific information being incorporated into planning, policy, and management decisions

CESD Students

Certificate: • First students enrolled in spring 2013 • To date: 3 have finished, 3 in progress, 2 incomplete • A large number of inquiries but funding for non grads a problem

Seminar: Numbers • 48 students have taken the seminar over 4 years • 12 enrolled for 2015

Background • Social/physical/undecided background variable from over ½ physical to 1/3 in

each category • Typically most are grad students, with several non-degree or certificate-seeking

students in most classes

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A few outcomes, based on seminar exit surveys

Long-term career objectives (select all that apply)

2013 N = 13 2 PhD 7 masters 3 certificate 1 non-degree

2014 N = 15 7 PhD 8 masters

Perspectives on the importance of science and policy in decision making

N = 13 2 PhD 7 masters 3 certificate 1 non-degree

N = 15 7 PhD 8 masters

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* Science most important source of information * Politics is ultimately more important than science in solving these problems “Neither” was not a response option in this year

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Some of the most important things students said they learned from the seminar

“I now appreciate the effort and time it takes to listen to stakeholder needs” “More information does not equal better decisions.” . “The social science theory behind how science and policy do interact, can interact, and should interact.” “Being exposed to the body of work (social science literature) and some case studies.” “I was introduced to the realm of social science literature (while difficult and unusual it was useful) and the process of stakeholder engagement.”